I found a newspaper clipping from page 3 of the February 6, 1916 Seattle Sunday Times that my grandmother-in-law, Maren saved in her scrapbook from the 1916 storm. (click on the photo for a clearer view)
From Maren Nielsen Andersen's album |
The photo caption reads
"Seattle Snow scene 1916: "Snow aids live-wire Seattle business men to advertise goods and humorous abilities - Snow Mound and Advertising placards. Enormous piles of snow in Seattle streets have given up-to-date advertisers and jokesmiths opportunity to call attention to their wares and also comment on abnormal weather conditions. In the picture a snowpile in front of the Pioneer Printing Company's plant, Fourth Ave. and Marion St., is shown with some chatty advertising signs adorning its top, and at the right under the sign "Old Snow" is B. L. Swezea of the printing concern.
Similarly decorated piles are to be found throughout the downtown district advertising everything from “Spareribs, 13c Per Pound,” to some wag’s impression of snow in Washington, which read “This Is the Evergreen State – What?
An enterprising cosetiere on Second Avenue had several boxes bearing illustrations of her goods stuck in the top of a snowpile near the entrance to her store, and nearly every business house accepted the opportunity to have some advertising matter so displayed that passersby might realize that store was still in business."